Maragh lands Belmont Park double

ELMONT, New York (CMC):

Rajiv Maragh got down to business with a double on Sunday's 10-race card at Belmont Park.

The Jamaican jockey now has six wins for the autumn racing season and is tied for sixth with two others in the standings which are topped by Javier Castellano.

Maragh collected a wire-to-wire, 2 3/4-length victory aboard the 15-1 rank long-shot Lubango in the US $41,180 third race over 1,400 metres on the dirt.

He got Lubango off to a sharp beginning, tucked along the rail early down the backstretch, and had the runner-up Regal Strike, under Ramon Dominguez, draw abreast departing the backstretch.

Maragh asked the four-year-old, bay gelding for some run to keep up the fight with Regal Strike and kicked clear nearing the three-sixteenths pole.

Lubango left the furlong grounds comfortably in front and remained so to hit the wire in a time of one minute, 23.58 seconds.

Maragh landed another wire-to-wire victory by a comfortable five lengths astride the 4-1 chance Shea Goodbye in the US $29,000 fifth race over 1,200m.

He allowed Shea Goodbye to establish control under her own power, drawing well clear of her nearest rival, and was rated near the rail setting the opening splits.

Maragh put the two-year-old, bay filly to a strong drive entering the stretch, maintained a lengthy advantage throughout the stretch run, and kept her busy to the end for a time of 1 min, 12.75 seconds.